How Can Accidents Be Prevented in Pools?

During the summer months, many people wonder how they can prevent pool accidents. There are many primary ways to prevent these incidents.

They include:

• Educating children and adults about pool safety
• Securing the pool’s perimeter with proper fencing
• Posting clear rules and warnings about running and diving
• Providing a lifeguard or other supervision
• Maintaining the pool deck area

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that drowning is the fifth most common cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. The CDC notes that 3,536 non-boating drowning fatalities occurred from 2005 to 2014. Additionally, the New York State Department of Health reports that 109 people died in public swimming pool accidents in New York between 1987 and 2017. Besides drowning, other serious injuries include spinal damage or head injury from diving in water that is too shallow or slips and falls around the pool.

To prevent an ordinary day at the pool from turning tragic, you should be cognizant of potential hazards that could pose a threat to others.

Teach Children About Pool Safety

Drownings disproportionately affect children. Roughly 20% of people who die in drowning accidents are younger than 15, according to the CDC.

Here are some suggestions when it comes to teaching your children about swimming and pool safety:

• Enroll your child in swimming lessons so that they learn how to swim properly
• Use the buddy system so that each swimmer is constantly watching out for another
• Teach children that flotation devices are not the same as safety equipment
• Keep the pool area free of toys, which may tempt children to get in the pool when not supervised
• Tell children not to dive into shallow water and to avoid drains
• Teach children how and when to use safety equipment
• Enforce a rule that children look for a lifeguard before they enter the pool

Some children may know how to swim but may be inexperienced. Understanding your child’s limits can help prevent accidents in pools. You should explain to your child that if they are tired or struggle to keep their head above water, they should swim to the edge of the pool. Besides drownings, pool accidents can also result in catastrophic spinal injuries such as paraplegia or quadriplegia, head injuries, or broken bones.

For a free legal consultation, call (646) 692-0204.

Secure the Pool’s Perimeter

Properly secured pools can keep people out of the pool area when it is not in use.

Some ways to properly secure a pool and prevent pool accidents include:

• Cover the pool when not in use
• Surround the pool with a high fence with a self-latching gate
• Avoid propping the gate open
• Remove any furniture that could be used to climb over the fence
• Install alarms on doors leading to the pool so that you will be notified if another person is approaching the area
• Remove pools and ladders from the pool when it is not in use
• Install pool alarms to alert you if an unexpected visitor is in the area

If you or a loved one was harmed on another party’s property, you could have a claim against the property owner if they failed to follow some of these basic safety principles. You may be able to recover compensation for the pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages that you suffered.

Maintain the Property Around the Pool

You can take safety one step further by ensuring that the property surrounding the pool is properly maintained. You can have a qualified professional inspect your pool to ensure it is safe. They can inspect your pool cover, drains, and drain suction fittings.

Property owners should also regularly inspect their pool and surrounding area for potential hazards that could cause an accident, including:

• Cracked tiles or concrete
• Cracked pool plaster
• Broken ladders or steps
• Broken diving boards
• Slippery surfaces caused by puddles, algae, or other sources
• Improper solutions that cause skin burns or eye injuries
• Defective pool equipment
• Uncovered drains

If you or a loved one was injured in or around a swimming pool area that was not properly maintained by the property owner, you may have the right to bring a personal injury claim seeking substantial financial compensation for all of your physical, emotional, and economic damages.

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Call Dansker & Aspromonte Associates LLP Today to Find Out More

Since 1988, the personal injury lawyers at Dansker & Aspromonte Associates LLP have helped accident victims throughout the greater New York City metropolitan area recover compensation for their losses. We serve claimants in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Our team has recovered over $500 million for our clients. Our ultimate goal is to secure compensation for you and your loved ones, even if it means filing a lawsuit and going to court. We will work hard to secure a favorable outcome for you.

If you or a loved one sustained serious injuries or death in a pool accident as the result of the fault of a property owner, call us to discuss your rights. Don’t delay. There is a time limitation that requires that you bring your claim within a certain period of time. If you fail to bring your claim within that deadline, you may be forever barred from receiving the compensation you deserve.

Our consultation is free. If we accept your case, you will not be required to pay us any money upfront. We only receive a legal fee unless you receive compensation. Our lawyers are ready for your call. 

Call or text (646) 692-0204 or complete a free case evaluation form.